Imad Sumara from the US Army Corps of Engineers is the project manager for the DuPage River Watershed Feasibility Study. Last year about this time Imad informed the Committee that the Illinois State Water Survey is doing projections or updating their climate change. The Corps paused the project to wait for those results because they will effect the project.

The study partners are DuPage County and Will County Executive Office. Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) attended their meetings but did not provide any funding for this but they did help with some of the studies which helps to reduce some of the cost.

Historical flooding in 1996, 2008, 2010 and 2013 historical records are being used to justify funding. They looked at all the information they gathered. If there is a levee they are rehabbing that levee. If there's a flood storage they can actually store the flood waters in a place where they can actually benefit the community. Non-structural is also something they are looking at.

For the Corps to participate in a project the word feasibility to them basically means they will have a project that has a positive cost benefit ratio. The cannot move ahead with any project that has a negative cost benefit ratio. Even if it has a marginal cost benefit ratio it will not service them because at the end of this study they will have to go to Congress and authorize that project for construction and also wait for funding. The Corps needs authorization and appropriation. They compete for that appropriation with the entire nation. Those projects that have a higher cost benefit ratio will probably get funded before the Corps projects because they have a marginal cost benefit ratio.

Imad stated regarding the hydrology and hydraulics they look at two things. What is the hydraulics and hydrology for existing conditions without anything. The other thing is future because they project future because they want a project to last fifty years so they want to look at any projected climate change and also development anticipated for that area. They also try to do cost benefit ratio for the future.

When they looked at the total area there were four sites that actually showed a cost benefit ratio. The first one is Valley View which is a DuPage County Project. It showed the benefit is marginal for this project. They are looking at a storage area they can build and that will benefit this area.

The second they looked at is Lisle Levee which is an existing levee they will rehab.

When they select a project they run scenarios and do modeling on that project to determine the cost benefit ratio.

There is also one in St. Joseph's Creek and that is also storage.

The one that is showing some positives is the Bolingbrook Quarry Storage. It is Elmhurst Stone and when they are actually done mining the quarry the Corps may try to find a way to get some storage in there. They are still working on how large and how deep that area is going to be so they are still in that process.

Imad Sumara gave the Committee an update regarding the Study Schedule. They anticipate having the Tentative Selected Plan done by April next month. This milestone is important because they would have to have a draft feasibility report and that will show projects that will actually be able to be funded probably by the end of this month or early next month. If the Committee has a meeting in April Imade will come to that meeting and give the Committee more of an idea of what sites they are looking at including the non-structural.

A breakdown of the cash provided by the Corps, DuPage and Will County was displayed regarding what has been spent so far.

Bill Lamb asked Imad is your presentation going to be online for the Stormwater Committee?

Imad said Jim has it.

Bill Lamb asked about the rainfall for the flooding events. I'm not seeing that table which was really very useful. Bill asked Imad how do you calculate cost benefit? I assume you are trying to avoid damages.

Imad said everything is being done in models so basically we have a hydraulic model. You have a twenty-five or fifty event and they run those models. Then they say we're going to build levees here and water is not going to be going to that elevation where it used to be. So then you can actually run the model with the levees and see what benefit you'll get. Who is actually not going to get flooded.

Bill Lamb said I thought you had to model the cost of the things that are getting damaged, the houses or whatever?

Imad said that's what we're doing at the existing conditions. Basically, the existing condition is running the event without any levees, without anything and coming up with damages. Imad said we actually have an economic model we put all the structures in and then the output from that H and H goes into that economic model and then calculates where the damages are.

Tom Paulowicz asked is the new rainfall data going to be made public for everyone here?

Imad said they are already public. The Illinois State Water Survey probably already has them up on their website. I can check for you.

Tom Weigel said you mentioned the quarry at Bolingbrook. What is the life of that quarry before they abandon it? Do you know?

Imad believes DuPage County has actually started discussions with them. Imad is not sure. Right now they are trying to come up with a plan and then go meet with the owners. If the Corps meets with them they might say we have a ten year plan, what can you do for us?

Tom Weigel asked Imad did you look at Lake Renwick in Plainfield? It keeps getting lower every year and Lily Cache is not too far from there. Maybe you could divert that over to Lake Renwick and Lily Cache Creek flows into the DuPage. That would be some storage area there.

Imad said I looked at storage in those areas and really the only thing is there really isn't enough benefit to support a reservoir. They looked at one in Plainfield but it wasn't feasible.

Tom Weigel asked was it at that location or a different location?

Imad said I think it's probably a different location, a more open area. I can tell you exactly which one we looked at.

Chairman Dykstra said I believe Tom had a second question and then I think DJ.

Tom Paulowicz said something he had heard at the last presentation that was holding things up was that there was some kind of a glitz with the modeling that DuPage had done. They were fixing that. What happened with that and what were the results?

Imad said that got fixed. At one point they were running the hydrology model and it was defaulting to something wrong so they were able to go back and actually make the correction and we had to rerun the model with all the new information.

Tom Paulowicz asked did that have a significant effect on the base level elevations?

Imad said it had some effects. Yes and I believe it was positive for our project. One of the things Will County has done right is basically you bought a lot of homes. A lot of the damages are not with the homes. They're in an open area. Kudos to you guys but it's not helping us with our damages.

Jonathan Dykstra said if nobody has any other comments I want to see if staff has any comments.

Scott Killinger stated Imad did a really great job and the only thing I would add is the next meeting will be April 3rd. Right about then is when the TSP or the Tentatively Selected Plan Draft would be available. Jim and Scott will be reviewing the TSP with the Army Corps and they may be reaching out to the people along the DuPage River and asking for you to come to a meeting. They are not sure yet.

DJ Kruzel asked do you know if Will County has pledged any more funds other than the milestone you've already shown up there?

Scott Killinger said Will County has not given any more funds. The funds are in the budget. The funds would not be due and payable until we reach the TSP standpoint or milestone. The answer is no although they are in the current years budget.

DJ said and that will effect projects of the Stormwater Committee?

Scott said no. That's a separate project fund. Later on in the agenda we're going to talk about the Stormwater Committee Projects. Those are not effected by what we do with this Army Corps Project.

DJ said it wasn't the last time. I just wanted to make sure when they did that. They pulled the funds.

Scott Killinger stated you're right. The original in 2015 when we actually started this there weren't a lot of people with local projects. So this became an opportunity to do something for public good and the County made the decision to take it. Since then you all have done a better job of getting people with projects to come forward. So we're not in that situation this year. We have plenty of other projects and we have a pot of money for that and we have this project and we have a separate pot of money for that.

Imad Sumara emphasized they do have the survey of the entire Will County DuPage Area and they have an updated model. Any municipalities that want this updated model should just let them know and they will provide it to them.

Erskine Klyce asked Imad is your work going into their map revisions?

Imad said no and Scott said I believe that's all a separate effort. All the FEMA work was completed before this was all done. The FEMA work is in a public comment period. They are actually available on the website. They aren't official yet so people such as a homeowner might want to get their house out of the floodplain with an elevation certificate. So a landsurveyer that might do that cannot currently use the DFIRM because it doesn't have legal standing, yet. So it is there for planning purposes.

Erskine said a lot of people are upset about the maps being on a higher elevation. Nothing has changed. They put up a berm that protects us from flooding. We flooded in 2008 and 2013, as well as 1996. That data doesn't seem to be getting back to FEMA because there maps look to be back in 2000 before the FIRM went in.

Scott Killinger said that's an issue you probably need to take up with FEMA while the public comment period is still open.

Erskine said they are working on that but this is some valuable data we'd like to be able to put that to. They always have a model that is very current and very important to our particular area where we live off the DuPage River.

Imad said that's not part of this but if the County would like to go into another agreement with them and you would like the Corps to compare your FIRMS to what we found out in here that can be done.

Chairman Dykstra thanked Imad Sumara for his presentation. The Committee looks forward to his update next month.

2. Authorizing IGA for Formation of Kankakee River Valley Water Planning Area Alliance

Chairman Dykstra said the next item was an Intergovernmental Agreement for the Kankakee River Valley Water Planning Area Alliance. It was presented to the Committee back in November and sent to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee sent it back to the Stormwater Management Planning Committee. There was extensive discussion about it. Theresa O'Grady has looked at it, as well as Matt Guzman. A lot of feedback came back which led to this memo that was in your packet. Chairman Dykstra said he would be turning it over to staff and Theresa. We see you as an expert in water supply so we are very appreciative that you have that background.

Scott said he went through the comments Theresa and Matt Guzman made. He also added the comments from Jim Egan who is part of the Public Water Commission. He also works for the City of Joliet. Scott's comments are summarized in this memo and are to be sent back to the County's Executive Committee. The last paragraph is Scott's recommendation based on the discussion he heard here. They think this is a good idea but they think there are a lot of problems with the IGA as it's written so we're not recommending the County join it; although we do think it's a good idea and there should probably be further discussion.

Scott Killinger said he is looking for the Committee's concurrence with his recommendation and then it will go back to the County's Executive Committee.

Theresa O'Grady stated overall the County is going to have to do something with regional water supply planning. There is a decline in the deep aquifer system. Theresa said she saw a presentation Illinois State Water Survey gave January at the Public Water Commission's meeting. They're projecting in twenty or so years depending on what other wells are drilled in this area of concern. So it's something that is going to have to happen. It will happen. It's a question of timing. It could be less time than twenty years if more wells are drilled. The most recent was in the ten year range where the aquifer would be depleted. So this is needed. The question is whether or not the Kankakee River Water Planning Alliance that Godley has put together is the right avenue at this point.

Theresa O'Grady said she thinks with further discussions with them they could get to a point where it would alleviate our concerns; just whether they will talk to us and discuss that. The main concerns are where the group is going to, what role they will play and what role Will County will have in that and the fee structure with the representation on the Executive Committee. Those were the highlights of the concerns. As Scott has said if we can come to terms with that water planning is needed. If we don't do it with this avenue there should be something else that's done. As Scott mentioned in the memo a lot of people are talking about it, one of which is the Will County Governmental League that put together a Strategic Policy Committee on regional water supply. There is a meeting this Thursday, March 8th, 10:00 AM at the Government League Offices. It's been moved to Shorewood, the Shorewood Village Hall March 8th at 10:00 AM. Theresa O'Grady is planning on attending.

Chairman Dykstra said he did not think a motion was necessary to send it back to Executive just a simple consensus of the Committee members. Matt Guzman agreed.

Theresa O'Grady said she is very supportive of this going to the County Board. At every level they need to know what's happening with the water planning and how important that is to this Committee.

Beth Rice pointed out that it does have the wrong title on it so if someone trys to go back into our meeting and look at it they wouldn't be able to access the memo. So the title should probably be corrected to reflect what it is.

Chairman Jonathan Dykstra said we'll see that gets corrected and thanked everyone that helped craft that memo, did research and provided input.

3. 2018 Stormwater Project Program Discussion

As Chairman Dykstra pointed out last year the funds were provided to six projects. A list with some projected costs for this years consideration was displayed.

Scott Killinger said he just wanted to get the list up there for people to look at. He's in conversations with some of the road commissioners. There has been quite a bit of rain on some of the days so there are some projects Scott is trying to get some numbers on. He's not ready to have the Committee really look at it yet. To review the rules we usually go fifty fifty with the sponsor and in the past we've used a rule of thumb, $50,000.00. Say for example Plainfield Township Road Commission has $14,000.00. We would put $7,000.00 towards that. In a case of the City of Joliet, $423,000.00. We wouldn't fund fifty percent of that one but Scott will put something in there. He's going back and forth on that but he will bring something back to the Committee at the April meeting. Scott said some of these are projects that will help correct flooding that has been a problem for residents. Other things are like rain gardens we can use in the County, in the villages and in reports that we participated in. Scott told Committee members if there is a project they know is not viable to let him know as soon as possible and we can move it into 2019. Scott anticipates bringing it forward to the Committee for approval next month.

Bill Alstrom said speaking about projects you can waive until next year, ours Number 8, we needed to get a controlled burn schedule. They weren't able to do I until this spring so we're not going to be able to schedule it until next spring.

Scott thanked Bill and said we can put that money somewhere else and get yours in there next year.

Bill said we can help Plainfield Park District with theirs over the next couple of months to see if we can help them out.

Scott said we just got the Park District one in just yesterday.

Tom Paulowicz asked is it too late to submit a new project?

Scott said send me what you got and I'll take a look at it. Is it for the Village of Bolingbrook?

Tom said he thinks it's for the Park District. They might have something.

Scott told Tom to go ahead and send it to him but get it to him right away and he will look at it.

DJ said he had submitted a project when they called for projects but he doesn't see it up there. They were going through some server changes from an outside source so maybe it didn't get to you. If you want me to resubmit it directly to you I can do that.

Scott told DJ to go ahead and email it to me and I'll look and see if I got it. I'll keep looking at what's there.

Scott said like last year he likes to spread it around so each district gets something. That's more fair. Scott said he remembers one year we only had three projects and they were large projects and we gave each one $50,000.00. The idea is to do as much good as we can with the money.

Chairman Dykstra said the earlier we can approve these projects the better that way they can start construction.

Jim Song reminded the Committee members projects need to be completed this year and invoices submitted September 1st or as soon as possible thereafter.

VII. Report Of Officers, Subcommittees, State's Attorney And/Or Staff

VIII. Announcements/Committee Comments

Scott said there is going to be a soil erosion and sediment control seminar put on by the Will-South Cook Soil and Water Conservation District. The Stormwater Committee is going to help sponsor this. Scott is working with them. It's going to be April 10th, 11th or 12th. If you are somebody who needs either CEU's or PDH's I think the cost on that will probably be free so watch for that. We're looking at early to mid-April.

Scott said with regard to updating our Stormwater Management Plan he spoke with Mary Beth Falsey who is the Stormwater Manager in DuPage County and he is probably going to bring her to speak on what they do. We had some of their people come to one of our meetings a few months back. Those are the people who run the quarry project. If there was a project like the Bolingbrook Quarry Project that Imad talked about there would need to be pumps and so on. That's kind of out of the scope in what we're doing in Will County right now. Mary Beth Falsey is more on our level where they actually have shared services agreements. So he's going to bring her to talk but he's not sure at what point.

Chairman Jonathan Dykstra said next week is the IAFSM Conference. I think next Wednesday, the 14th, 15th, Thursday, next week. Our next meeting is April 3rd same time.